Loperamide
Loperamide Hydrochloride · Say it: loh-PER-uh-mide hye-droh-KLOR-ide
Loperamide is an antidiarrheal capsule used to control diarrhea. It has a boxed warning about serious heart rhythm problems and death when taken in amounts higher than recommended.
Brand names: anti-diarrhealanti diarrhealImodium A-DCareOne Diarrhea ControlAnti-DiarrhealCaseys 4goodCVP HEALTHPrivate Label DistributorMEDIQUE Diamode
⬛ Boxed warning (the FDA's strongest warning)
The boxed warning is titled 'Torsades de Pointes and Sudden Death.' Cases of Torsades de Pointes (a serious abnormal heart rhythm), cardiac arrest, and death have been reported with use of higher than recommended doses of loperamide capsules. The label says loperamide capsules are contraindicated in children under 2 years of age. It says to avoid doses higher than recommended in adults and children 2 years and older because of the risk of serious heart problems.
Used for
Control and short-term relief of acute nonspecific diarrhea in people 2 years of age and older
Comes as
2 mg capsules
Common side effects
Constipation, Dizziness, Nausea
| Generic name | Loperamide Hydrochloride |
|---|---|
| Brand names | anti-diarrheal, anti diarrheal, Imodium A-D, CareOne Diarrhea Control, Anti-Diarrheal, Caseys 4good, CVP HEALTH, Private Label Distributor, MEDIQUE Diamode |
| Type of medicine | a synthetic antidiarrheal medicine |
| How it is sold | Human prescription drug, taken by mouth as a capsule |
| Comes as | 2 mg capsules |
| Route | oral |
| Boxed warning | Yes, see below |
| Label date | 2026-01-05 |
💊 What is Loperamide used for?
- Control and short-term relief of acute nonspecific diarrhea in people 2 years of age and older
- Chronic diarrhea in adults associated with inflammatory bowel disease
- Reducing the volume of discharge from an ileostomy
How it works
How it is usually taken
- The label describes a starting amount, followed by smaller amounts after each loose stool, with a maximum daily amount. Doses for children are based on age and weight. The label says to take it at the prescribed dosage and not more. Patients should get fluid and electrolyte replacement as needed. Follow the instructions from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Comes as
- 2 mg capsules
⚠️ Loperamide side effects
Common side effects
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Abdominal cramps
- Tiredness or drowsiness
Get medical help right away if
- Get medical help right away if you or someone you are caring for faints, has a rapid or irregular heartbeat, or becomes unresponsive.
- Get medical help right away if you notice a rash, hives, swelling of the face, lips, or throat, or trouble breathing. The label reports extremely rare allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.
- Get medical help right away if you notice skin blistering, peeling, or sores. The label reports rare cases of serious skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.
- Contact your healthcare provider if you see blood in your stools, or if you develop a fever or abdominal swelling (distention).
- Stop the medicine and contact your healthcare provider if you do not see improvement within 48 hours for acute diarrhea.
🛑 Who should not take Loperamide, and who should be careful
The label says not to take it if
- You are a child under 2 years of age (the label says this is contraindicated).
- You have a known allergy (hypersensitivity) to loperamide or any of its inactive ingredients.
- You have abdominal pain without diarrhea.
- You have acute dysentery, which the label describes as blood in the stools with high fever.
- You have acute ulcerative colitis.
- You have bacterial enterocolitis caused by invasive organisms such as Salmonella, Shigella, or Campylobacter.
- You have pseudomembranous colitis (such as Clostridium difficile) linked to broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Tell your doctor before taking it if
- Use caution when driving or operating machinery, because tiredness, dizziness, or drowsiness may occur.
- Tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
- Tell your provider if you take certain heart rhythm medicines, antipsychotics, certain antibiotics, or other medicines known to affect the QT interval.
- The label lists risk factors for heart problems, including congenital long QT syndrome, a history of heart rhythm problems or other heart conditions, older age, and electrolyte abnormalities.
🔀 Loperamide with other medicines, food and alcohol
The label says to discuss these with your doctor or pharmacist
- Itraconazole, gemfibrozil, quinidine, and ritonavir can increase loperamide levels. The label says these combinations may raise the risk of heart problems, and patients should be monitored.
- Medicines known to prolong the QT interval, including certain antiarrhythmics (such as quinidine, procainamide, amiodarone, sotalol), antipsychotics (such as chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thioridazine, ziprasidone), antibiotics (such as moxifloxacin), and pentamidine, levomethadyl acetate, and methadone. The label says to avoid loperamide in combination with these.
- Loperamide may decrease saquinavir levels, which may reduce its effectiveness.
Alcohol and food
The label does not say.
🤰 Loperamide in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Pregnancy
The label says there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. It says loperamide should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Animal studies are described in the label.
Breastfeeding
The label says small amounts of loperamide may pass into breast milk, and loperamide is not recommended during breastfeeding.
🗓️ Storage, missed doses and taking too much
Storage
Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F). Short excursions between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) are permitted.
If a dose is missed
The label does not say.
If too much is taken
The label says higher than recommended doses may cause life-threatening heart, nervous system, and breathing problems. If over-exposure occurs, call your Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. The label describes serious heart rhythm problems, cardiac arrest, and death in cases of overdose, including cases of misuse.
🗒️ Questions to ask about Loperamide
🎯 Check what you understood
1. What does the boxed warning say about amounts higher than recommended?
2. What is the label's guidance if diarrhea does not improve within 48 hours?
3. What does the label say about use during breastfeeding?
❓ Loperamide: frequently asked questions
What is loperamide used for?
The label says it is used to control and relieve acute nonspecific diarrhea in people 2 years of age and older. It is also used for chronic diarrhea in adults with inflammatory bowel disease and to reduce discharge from an ileostomy.
Can young children take loperamide?
The label says loperamide capsules are contraindicated in children younger than 2 years of age because of the risks of breathing problems and serious heart effects. For ages 2 to 12, the label describes separate dosing and notes that a liquid form is used for younger children.
What happens if too much is taken?
The label warns that higher than recommended amounts may cause life-threatening heart, nervous system, and breathing problems. It says to call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 if over-exposure occurs.
When should I contact a healthcare provider while taking loperamide?
The label says to contact your provider if you see blood in your stools or develop a fever or abdominal distention. It also says to report fainting, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, or becoming unresponsive.
Can loperamide affect my ability to drive?
The label advises caution when driving or operating machinery because tiredness, dizziness, or drowsiness may occur during treatment.
🧪 Tests and reports linked to Loperamide
The label text mentions these. If you have one of these reports, get every line of it explained.
- Kidney function tests
a test or report linked to this medicine
- Metabolic panel (BMP, CMP)
a test or report linked to this medicine
- Culture and sensitivity
a test or report linked to this medicine
- Urinalysis
a test or report linked to this medicine
- ECG (EKG) reports
a test or report linked to this medicine
- Echocardiogram reports
a test or report linked to this medicine
📖 Medical words used on this page
- Acute vs chronic
Acute means something started recently or suddenly. Chronic means it has lasted a long time or keeps coming back.
- Allergic reaction
An allergic reaction is when the immune system overreacts to something harmless, such as a medicine or food, causing symptoms from a rash to swelling.
- Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a severe, whole-body allergic reaction that comes on fast and is a medical emergency needing urgent help.
- Antibiotic
An antibiotic is a medicine that kills bacteria or stops them growing; it treats bacterial infections, not viral ones like colds or flu.
- Antipsychotic
An antipsychotic is a medicine used for psychosis, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and sometimes for other conditions.
- Arrhythmia
An arrhythmia is a heartbeat that is too fast, too slow or irregular, because the heart's electrical signals are not working in their usual pattern.
- Boxed warning
A boxed warning is the strongest safety warning on a US medicine label, printed in a box, about a serious or life-threatening risk.
- Colitis
Colitis means inflammation of the colon (large bowel), which can cause diarrhea, tummy pain and sometimes blood in the stool.
- Contraindication
A contraindication is a reason not to use a particular medicine, test or procedure for a person because it could cause harm.
- Edema
Edema is swelling caused by extra fluid trapped in the body's tissues, often in the feet, ankles and legs.
- Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals in the blood, such as sodium, potassium and chloride, that carry an electric charge and help the body work.
- Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity means the immune system overreacts to something, such as a medicine. It covers allergic reactions from mild rash to severe reactions.
- Impression
The impression is the summary at the end of a scan report, where the radiologist gives the main conclusions.
- Inactive ingredients
Inactive ingredients are the parts of a medicine that are not the drug itself, such as fillers, colours, coatings and preservatives.
📖 Medical words on this page
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Have the leaflet or prescription in front of you?
Explain my leafletDecode my prescription🔗 Trusted sources about Loperamide
- Full official label on DailyMed ↗
US National Library of Medicine: the complete FDA label this page is based on
- Loperamide on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine's patient drug information
- Loperamide on the NHS website ↗
UK National Health Service medicine guide
Report a side effect or check safety alerts
- Report a side effect in the US (FDA MedWatch) ↗
- Report a side effect in the UK (Yellow Card) ↗
- FDA recalls and safety alerts ↗
Explain your own documents
Source: official FDA drug label (label updated 2026-01-05). Read the full label on DailyMed
MedicDecode explains the official label in plain words. It is not medical advice and does not replace your doctor or pharmacist. Never start, stop or change a medicine because of what you read here.